Bookstores

Favorite Bookstores

The Strand, New York

When traveling to New York City, it’s always nice to stop in and browse around a good bookstore. For bookstore lovers, there’s nothing more comforting than wandering around aisle after aisle of new and used books. The United States has seen a lot of bookstores go out of business in recent years. It seems there used to be a cool bookstore at every major corner and intersection. We cherish the ones that remain, the bookstores that have withstood the ups and downs of the economy. We honor them for their commitment to the reader. Who reads books anymore? If you witnessed the traffic at The Strand bookstore on a Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. in early December, you would say that plenty of people still do. Certainly some were tourists. But the line at the cash register, and the people leaving with bright colorful bags filled with books, tells you that the book business is alive and well, at least in this part of the city. Having spent time at City Lights in San Francisco, and The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, I would say that for some bookstores, the business of books is thriving. The Strand is one of those legendary bookstores you always hear about. The chance to visit and spend time there was a dream come true. Bookstores are one of my favorite places to visit, whether I’m at home or visiting another city, state or country. And The Strand was a memorable experience indeed. I left with a bag full of books.